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Town Manager Eric S. Pollitt Bio

Eric Pollitt was hired as the Town Manager for the Town of Tappahannock beginning in October of 2020. Mr. Pollitt, a native of Richmond, Virginia comes to Tappahannock after serving as the Town Manager for Glasgow, Virginia, in Rockbridge County Virginia. Mr. Pollitt is a member of the Virginia Local Government Management Association (VLGMA) and serves on the Executive Committee. He is an International City/County Manager Association (ICMA) member as well.

In 2014, Mr. Pollitt graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University with a major in political science and minors in public management and economics. Graduating in 2017 from University of Kentucky’s Martin School of Public Policy and Administration, Mr. Pollitt earned a Master’s in Public Administration. His concentration was in Public Financial Management, which the Martin School was ranked top five nationally in this area of study according to U.S. News. In addition to his time in Glasgow, Mr. Pollitt has worked as a Management Analyst for Fluvanna County, Virginia, as an International City/County Manager Association (ICMA) Management Fellow in Templeton, Massachusetts, and was the Chief Financial Officer for Shelbyville, Kentucky.

There have been several areas of progress made in Tappahannock since Town Manager Pollitt took over in the Fall of 2020. Over $1 million has been invested, acquiring properties for future recreational development. He is currently leading the development of two parks (one being waterfront), totaling over $5 million for both projects. In collaboration with VHB Inc. and the Middle Peninsula Planning District Commission, the Town has secured over $2 million in grant monies for implementation of its waterfront park on Hoskins Creek for transient boating.

Almost all the Town’s ARPA funds are prioritized for addressing water and sewer infrastructure challenges, recently completing a $900,000 water meter upgrade project allowing for remote readings. The remaining almost $1.5 million of ARPA funds will be used to address critical sewer infrastructure in Tappahannock’s historic downtown district. Work is expected to begin in Spring of 2024.

The Town’s first ever organizational pay study was completed in Fall of 2022. This included updated job descriptions, pay implementation plan, pay ranges for positions, and identified positions of need in the organization.

In partnership with Ross-Simpson Properties, Tappahannock was a recipient of a $250,000 grant from the Virginia DHCD, 2022 Industrial Revitalization Fund (IRF). These funds supported the renovation of historic Emerson’s Ordinary, a tavern dating back to 1710 and considered one of the oldest surviving ordinaries in Virginia. The 1710 Tavern project fills the need for fine dining in Tappahannock’s downtown district and further enhances the Town as a tourist destination. The project serves as a cornerstone in advancing Tappahannock Main Street’s initiatives and is expected to create between 20 to 30 new jobs.

The U.S. Department of Transportation awarded Tappahannock $1.5 million in RAISE Grant funding. RAISE stands for Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity. The grant will fund planning activities to conduct a multimodal assessment and develop a master plan, proposing projects and cost estimates for future development in Town limits and Essex County.

Lastly, the Town was recently awarded $261,000 in VEDP Virginia Business Ready Sites Program funding. These funds will go towards engineering and designing of Town owned property for future light industrial use.

Town Manager Reports

Contact The Town Office
915 Church Lane
PO Box 266
Tappahannock, VA 22560

Phone Number: (804) 443-3336
Fax Number: (804) 443-1051